IPL Specialist

Advanced Dermatology Surgery Center

Dermatologist & Medical Aesthetics located in Fresno, CA

IPL skin rejuvenation is a common cosmetic procedure designed to produce a clear, healthy and beautiful complexion. There are a variety of specific skin issues that can be solved using IPL, from certain types of conditions, to blemishes, wrinkles, the effects of ageing, and more.

IPL Facial Rejuvenation Q & A

What is IPL Skin Rejuvenation?

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light technology. It is an FDA and TGA-approved and patented form of treatment which has been shown to be both safe and effective. IPL is also known as photorejuvenation. Because it is a relatively simple and straightforward procedure, with few concerns in terms of either side effects, recovery time, or the level of invasiveness with the treatment itself, IPL is continuing to become a more widely utilised choice.

IPL is a quick in-office procedure, with almost zero needs for recovery. It’s easy to fit it into your schedule and get on with the rest of your life. You see great results without undergoing intensive surgery.

IPL works wonders for removing red splotches, brown spots, and scarring, as well as reducing pore size, eliminating and reducing wrinkles, and improving overall skin texture, smoothness and quality. IPL has been used to treat rosacea, hyperpigmentation, melasma, age and sunspots, broken capillaries, spider veins, stretch marks, and other conditions as well.

IPL is a great tool to help combat the effects of ageing, and achieve a more youthful appearance.

IPL offers a legitimate and long-lasting solution, as opposed to some procedures which offer only short-term results.

IPL can also be utilised anywhere on the body, offering great versatility from a single procedure.

Procedure Details

During an IPL procedure, intense light from a range of wavelengths is focused on the specific parts of your skin that you are treating. The IPL device itself is gently pressed onto the skin, with a smooth, transparent surface emitting the light on the targeted areas.

This light helps to spur on the production of collagen, which will help to fill in lines and wrinkles or shallow scarring, while also reducing redness, discolouration, and spots.

Meanwhile, the targeted tissue that has been damaged is naturally removed by the body. Depending on what is being treated, the exact wavelength range can be adjusted to optimise results.

You will wear an eye mask to protect your eyes and vision during the procedure, and topical gels may be applied on your skin to prevent overheating. You may also be given pain medication before or after the procedure, but you do not undergo any form of anesthesia.

The entire procedure is very quick, taking about half an hour to complete, although the exact length will depend on what you are specifically treating, and its size or scope. Once it has been completed though, you will likely spend a very short recovery and observation period in the clinic before being allowed to go home.

Light vs. Laser

It is important to understand that IPL skin rejuvenation utilises light waves, not laser. These terms are often used interchangeably by many individuals, however, this is not correct. A separate treatment, known as laser skin resurfacing, is also utilised as a cosmetic treatment for some similar conditions. Laser skin resurfacing may either be ablative (removing top layers of skin via induced injury) or non-ablative (heat damage to deep layers of skin without removing skin).

While there is an overlap between IPL and laser skin resurfacing in terms of what they are used for and how they work, they are not the same and do not have the exact same applications, either. Laser skin resurfacing is also much more expensive than IPL. The latter is also seen as offering reduced risk of abnormal healing or the potential for making certain types of skin conditions worse.

The Bottom Line on IPL

IPL skin rejuvenation is safe, easy and highly effective for treating everything from wrinkles to blemishes, and a wide range of skin conditions and related ailments. With a relatively affordable cost per treatment and little if any need for downtime, IPL offers its patients a great combination of convenience, accessibility and overall success.